Astounding Science Fiction, British Edition — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

7 TRADE SECRET 9 In short, the patents on the rockets are available for licensing to in- terested parties. And the contracts you have in your hand are for sale.” “T’m an interested party, Doc,” said Sam. “I don’t mind telling you that we counted on making it this year. We thought we had the merchandise that would do it. And we would have, if it hadn’t been for you. No hard feelings, you under- stand, that’s all part of the racket. How about a cup of coffee while we see if we can make a deal?” Mart nodded. “Let me finish here. I think we can come to an agreement —but you should know, right from the start, that there is likely to be a rather large amount of contention stirred up by the appearance of the Nagle Rocket. It probably won’t take very long, either.” It didn’t. The newsmen, after mak- ing routine reports on the toy show, came back for a second look at the phenomenal Nagle Rocket. Science editors checked the basic patents on the toy, and for one day it made the front pages across the country. That same afternoon, Martin Nagle got the call he had been expecting from Washington. Kenneth Berkeley relayed it from their offices in Basic Research Consultants. “As predicted,” said Berk, “Keyes wants to have some words with you. You probably ought to go down tonight and see him first thing in the mornin “Was he sore?” ‘He would have been happier if I'd admitted robbing Fort Knox in- stead of telling him that the stories about the Nagle Rocket are true. He’s going to shut us down and throw us behind bars for the rest of our lives—unless you can convince him we are innocent of national treachery.” “Maybe you ought to go instead. Or at least go with me. You knew him first. You persuaded him- to open Project Levitation.” “No. He wants to see you. You're the physicist and he understands your language far better than mine, even though he did co-operate on Levitation. It’s up to you, Mart.” “All right. Vil get started. We knew this was coming. The sooner it’s over the better.” “What about the booth? Shall I come down tomorrow?” “No. Sam is here. It’s practically his baby, anyway, since he’s closed his own display and is working with me on conversion of his place to produce our rockets. Pll come over to the office on the way.” It was a gray Washington morning when Mart got off the train and took a taxi for the Office of National Re- search. As he reached the building, marked by self-conscious newness, he had a moment of doubt about the wisdom of the thing he was doing. He had to have the trust and support of Keyes and other men like him, and now he was close to the thin edge of renunciation of all such trust. He went directly to Keyes’ office and the secretary kept him only a moment before ushering him in. Keyes had obviously been waiting. The director’s face was dull and colorless as he indicated a chair with abruptness bordering on the uncivil. “T think I know all there is to know of this so-called toy of yours,” he said, “‘but I’d rather hear it from your own lips. If there’s any possible fragment of excuse to relieve the brand of treachery upon what you have done, I want to be the first to know it.” . Mart felt a momentary overpower- ing fatigue. This was the moment he had dreaded—and the one he had Conmielooolkks.<@ im